Washing machine



April 28, 1959 A. GIL ET AL WASHING MACHINE Filed May 17, 1955 ....A rrfi". J.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent Oflice 2,883,844 Patented Apr. 28, 1959 WASHING MACHINE.

Artigas Gil and Vicente *Costanza, Montevideo, Uruguay Application May 17, 1955, Serial No. 509,044

Claims. (Cl. 68-156) The present invention relates to a laundry washing machine of simplified design and construction which is particularly adapted for household use.

In accordance with the invention, washing is effected by agitation produced in the wash water by the alternate rise and fall of a transverse partition member disposed within the wash tank. The partition member is constituted by a flexible open-work member, such as a net, the periphery of which is secured to the side walls of the wash tank. The central portion of the partition member is vertically reciprocated and the up and down motion of the central portion of the partition with respect to its stationary periphery causes the mass of water charged in the wash tank to be agitated.

The invention will now be described, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which the invention is illustrated by a diagrammatic vertical elevation, partially in section.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the washing machine is enclosed within an outer casing or housing 1. A small plate 2 is secured within the casing 1, the plate 2 forming part of a framework which supports the column 3 which holds the wash tank 4. The column 3 terminates at its upper end in a bushing 5 provided with an annular seat 6 and an externally threaded tubular projection 7. The wash tank 4 has a hole in its bottom and the margins of the tank which define the hole are positioned within a circumferential recess of an annular rubber gasket 8. The rubber gasket 8 is pressed against the seat 6 by the action of a washer 9 and a nut 10 to provide a water-tight seal between the wash tank 4 and the bushing 5. As can be seen, the projection 7 of the bushing 5 extends through the hole in the bottom of the tank and nut 10 is in threaded engagement with the projection 7.

A cylindrical bar 11 passes through the bushing 5 and leakage is avoided by the provision of a stuffing box 12 which is secured in place and adjusted by means of the threaded cap 13 which is in threaded engagement with the upper end of the projection 7. The upper end of the bar 11 is provided with an outwardly extending flange 14, the flange 14 being threadedly engaged with the upper end of the bar 11 in the embodiment illustrated. A plate 15 rests upon the flange 14 and a ring 16 is positioned between the plate 15 and an upper plate 17. The ring 16 and the plates 15 and 17 which surround the ring are secured in position on the flange 14 by the action of bolts 18 which pass through the plates 15 and 17 as well as the flange 14 and urge the assembly together by bearing against the upper plate 17 and the flange 14. As shown in the drawing, the diameter of the plate 15 is greater than one-third the diameter of the wash tank 4.

The ring 16 constitutes the inner limit of a net formed by the mesh 19 and the outer extremity of the mesh 19 is fastened to a metal ring 20 which constitutes the outer periphery of the net. The ring 20 is countersunk in a circumferential recess 21 formed in the wall of tank 4. The mesh 19 may be woven of strong yarn and it is preferred to employ yarn the filaments of which are composed of tic material.

synthetic plastic material since such materials possess the necessary strength and corrosion resistance for the purpose. It will be appreciated that multi-filament strand or a mono-filament can be employed to constitute the yarn of the mesh 19. Nylon is a particularly suitable plastic material although corrosion resistant wire and many other plastic materials can be used in its place as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The mesh 19 can be replaced by other flexible open-work members such as, for example, a sheet of perforated rubber or flexible plas- The openings through said mesh comprise the major portion of the area of said mesh.

The upper edge of the wash tank 4 is provided with a rubber gasket 22 which is pressed by an annular end-piece 23 which fits tightly on the upper portion of the casing 1. The end-piece 23 has a large central aperture through which access can be gained to the interior of the wash tank 4. The inner portion of the end-piece. 23 is configurated to form an annular seat surrounding the central aperture to permit the aperture to be closed by a removable cover 24 during the washing operation. It is preferred to surround the outer edge of the cover 24 with a rubber packing 25 so that a liquid-tight joint is effected between the end-piece 23 and the cover 24 by simply pressing the cover 24 into its seat in the end-piece 23.

As will now be apparent, cylindrical bar 11 is reciprocated in the bushing 5 and the reciprocation of the bar 11 is transmitted to the inner ring 16 of the net by means of the ring confining plates 15 and 17 which are secured to the flange 14. Any desired mechanism may be employed to effect the necessary reciprocation of the bar 11. In the drawing, the rotation of a motor (not shown) is transferred to a pulley 28 by means of a belt 29, the pulley 28 being of large diameter to reduce speed and increase power. The pulley 28 drives a crank 27 and a connecting rod 26 has one end pivotally secured to the crank 27 and the other end pivotally secured to the lower end of the bar 11 so that rotation of pulley 28 will effect vertical reciprocation of the bar 11.

Preferably, the speed of the pulley 28 is adjusted so that the bar 11 executes to complete reciprocation cycles (a movement up and a movement down completes a single cycle) per minute. A dot and dash line has been included in the drawing to delineate the uppermost travel of the net although it will be appreciated that the drawing is diagrammatic and the extent of travel of the net can be greatly varied. The supporting framework for the pulley 28 is not shown or described since such structure will be obvious to a mechanic and since any suitable support can be used.

The washing machine of the invention operates in the following manner:

Water is charged into wash tank 4 until the tank has been filled to approximately two-thirds of its height and the proper amount of soap -is then added. The clothes to be washed are introduced into the tank and the access aperture is covered with the cover 24. The motor is then set in motion and the action of the connecting rod 26 forces the central part of the partition, formed by the mesh 19, to reciprocate vertically, e.g. to rise and fall periodically, producing suctions and thrusts on the mass of water in the tank to thereby effect vigorous agitation of the wash water and the clothes therein.

It is evident that the vertically reciprocable means comprising plate 15 agitates the washing liquid and causes the liquid to pass through the partition, the vertically reciprocable means in its downward movement forcing the washing liquid toward the periphery of the tank to pass freely upwardly through the partition and in its upward movement forcing the washing liquid toward the periphery of the tank to pass freely downwardly through the partition.

When the clothes are clean, the soapy water is drained from the wash tank through a drain (not shown) and the clothes are then rinsed with pure water to complete the washing operation. The washed. clothes are then removed from the tank and the excess water is squeezed out by passing the wet clothes through mangle rollers which may be secured to the upper part of the machine. The mangle rollers and their securement to the machine are not shown since this is well known and conventional.

To facilitate transportation of the machine, wheels 30 of conventional type are provided.

It is desired to point out that the partition member which is verically reciprocated will not injure the clothes being washed because there is no relative motion between the outer periphery of the partition member and the side walls of the wash tank 4. It Will be appreciated that relative motion between the partition member and the wash tank introduces the danger that the clothes being washed will be caught between these members and damaged. In accordance with the invention, this danger of damage to the clothes is eliminated.

It will be understood that the construction shown and described may be modified without departing from the fundamental principle of the invention as defined in the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a Washing machine, a vertical wash tank, a flexible open-work partition member extending transversely across said wash tank, the outer periphery of said partition member being fastened to the side walls of said tank, said open-work partition member being adapted to permit the free passage of washing liquid therethrough, the openings through said open-work member comprising the major portion of the area of said member, vertically reciprocable means for agitating the washing liquid and causing the liquid to pass through said partition member, said vertically reciprocable means in its downward movement forcing the washing liquid toward the periphery of the tank to pass freely upwardly through the partition member, and in its upward movement forcing the washing liquid toward the periphery of the tank to pass freely downwardly through the partition member, said vertically reciprocable means comprising a plate obstructing a substantial portion of the center of said wash tank, the diameter of said plate being greater than one third the diameter of said wash tank, said plate being secured to the inner portion of said open-work partition member for movement therewith, and means for vertically reciprocating said plate and said open-work partition member.

2, A Washing machine as recited in claim 1 in which said flexible open-work partition member is constituted by a woven net.

3. A washing machine as recited in claim 1 in which the outer peripheral portion of said. flexible partition member is secured to a ring, said ring being positioned within a circumferential recess formed in the wall of said tank, the openings through said partition comprise the sole communication between the portions of the tank separated by said partition.

4. A washing machine as recited in claim 1 in which the inner portion of said flexible partition member is secured to an inner ring, said inner ring being secured to said central plate, and in which said means for vertically reciprocating said plate and said open-work partition member comprises a vertically reciprocable vertical bar, on the upper end of which is mounted said central plate, said bar extending through the bottom of said tank, and means below said tank for vertically reciprocating said bar.

5. A washing machine as recited in claim 4 in which said inner ring is secured between an upper plate and said central plate, said plates being secured to an outwardly extending flange positioned at the upper end of said bar.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,378,177 Kincaid May 17, 1921 1,422,940 Dunmire July 18, 1922 1,547,212 Glover July 28, 1925 1,886,578 Pedrazzo Nov. 8, 1932 1,908,033 Liva May 9, 1933 2,037,568 Emmerling Apr. 14, 1936 2,053,158 McCabe Sept. 1, 1936 2,230,059 Hurley Jan. 28, 1941 2,300,055 McCabe Oct. 27, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 183,405 Germany Apr. 16, 1907 

